JENNINGS MILLIONS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 260, 3 August 1928, Page 6

JENNINGS MILLIONS

FURTHER AUCKLAND CLAIMANTS Dominion Special Service. Auckland, .August 2. Among the principal New Zealand claimants to the Jennings fortune amounting to £53,000,000, which has been in Chancery for over a century are various members of the Howell family in Auckland. “If the money ever comes out of Chancery we have not the slightest doubt our claim can be established,” said Mr. Edward Howell, of Green Lane,- when, discussing ihe family’s claim to participation. Mr. Howell, who retired live ye irs ago from the position of Government Fruit Inspector in Auckland, said it was not very clear why the millions had come to be in Chancery. His own impression was that the late William Jennings, one of the three Birmingham ironmasters who amassed the fortune in the 19th century, was murdered, leaving no will, but the accounts were not very definite on the point. The main obstacle toward the release of the fortune was a missing birth certificate, for production of which a reward of. 10,000 guineas is offcrc. “My grandfather spent large sums of money iu fighting the case, but, like all the others, got nowhere in the end,” said Mr. Howell. “Many of the claimants; got through the whole: of their cash before they gave up the fight. Nevertheless, we have never been in doubt that we are in the direct line of descent, and my brother in England is closely watching the progress of the case?’ '